Fontano's Subs

Sandwich shop · Little Italy

Fontano's Subs

Sandwich shop · Little Italy

4

1058 W Polk St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

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Fontano's Subs by Veda Kilaru
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Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
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Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
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Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
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Fontano's Subs by null
Fontano's Subs by null
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Fontano's Subs by null
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Fontano's Subs by null

Highlights

Classic Italian subs loaded with fresh meats and tangy giardiniera, served in a laid-back deli tucked inside a cozy Italian grocery.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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1058 W Polk St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA Get directions

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$10–20 · Menu

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1058 W Polk St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA Get directions

+1 312 421 4474
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fontanosonpolk

$10–20 · Menu

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Jul 30, 2025

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@infatuation

The Best Italian Subs In Chicago, Ranked

"Some mild jaw unhinging might be necessary for a bite of the big boy Italian Special at Fontano’s in Little Italy. And there will definitely be some spillage. But a mild, balanced combination of prosciuttini, capocollo, and provolone swaddled in airy bread is worth any potential oil stains. They’re generous with the mayo here, but it’s offset nicely with the lightly-dressed lettuce and tomato and spice from the addition of giardiniera. You might start out looking like the guy in “The Scream,” but you’ll end your lunch with a Mona Lisa smile. " - adrian kane, nick allen, john ringor, veda kilaru

https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/guides/the-best-italian-subs-in-chicago
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@infatuation

The 22 Best Sandwich Places In Chicago

"This classic Italian sub spot holds a special place in our hearts. During our former life, we used to eat at Fontano’s minimum once a week. Our usual location on Jackson St. has since moved to fancier digs around the corner on Michigan Ave., but you can still count on an excellent, no-frills sandwich on the cheap." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor

https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/guides/best-sandwiches-in-chicago
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@infatuation

Fontano’s Review - University Village - Chicago - The Infatuation

"This classic Italian sub spot holds a special place in our hearts. During our former life, we used to eat at Fontano’s minimum once a week. Our usual location on Jackson St. has since moved to fancier digs around the corner on Michigan Ave., but our favorite shop in Little Italy is still going strong." - Adrian Kane

https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/reviews/fontanos
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@olivia.l

Fontano's Subs offers an Italian sub experience that will make customers feel like they've been transported to Italy. With its freshly baked Italian bread, variety of quality ingredients, and amazing service, Fontano's always strives to provide an unforgettable experience. The 16-ounce Wise Guy sub is a fan favorite, featuring a variety of classic Italian ingredients such as genoa salami, pepperoni, ham, capicola, and provolone cheese. The hearty Italian bread has just the right amount of crunch and is topped with roasted peppers which adds a delicious layer of flavor. Not only is the food at Fontano's Subs full of flavor but the atmosphere is great too.

The top 9 Italian subs in Chicago
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Gammal Diaz

Google
Took the blue line all the way from Irving park to try fontano's subs. It’s your little neighborhood deli in the city. Walking in you can tell its a mom and pop shop with history. They have they’re grocery isle with different Italian options on the shelves. We order the 12”turkey sub on white with provolone (mayo, lettuce , tomato, cucumbers, onions, oil and vinegar and salt and pepper) and a 8” sausage sub on white with provolone and marinara sauce and hot peppers. The turkey sub slap especially how we ordered it all the flavors worked together. The sausage sub needs a bit more sauce but was as good as the turkey. The hot peppers were definitely hot so be careful. 10/10 will be back again.

Ashley Bushala

Google
Can’t wait to try this place again, very good! We also got the tiramisus. Parking was a bit of a challenge but it was well worth it. Their hot sandwiches look great too. Big chip and dessert selection room with fresh cookies. A few tables inside.

Carlos Castrejon

Google
Gotta love the variety of sizes for each sandwich. Grabbed me a meatball and I forgot the name of the other one but man were they sooooo good!!! Definitely coming back when I'm in the area. The staff was quick and attentive with my order as well.

Ynei Moon

Google
Growing up, my family never ate lunch meat. My mom had an idea that it was really bad for you and thus, I never developed a taste for things like turkey, ham, salami, pepperoni, etc. But multiple people had recommended this place to me. So I randomly decided to try it just once. Never in my entire life have I craved lunch meat like this or gone out of my way to continuously eat it. I don’t even like subs that much. Yet, I’d go to Fontano’s regularly for more and more. For anyone else who hates lunch meat, come here. There’s no going back. Also the staff are very kind and easygoing which only adds to the positives.

Jasmine

Google
this is my first time ever going to Fontana’s Subs. I ordered a 12” pot roast sandwich just cheese and peppers. i didn’t realize until i got home that they gave me italian beef meat instead of pot roast! very disappointed and i didn’t feel like driving 25 mins back to get the correct sandwich. the meat was still decent but i wish they would’ve gave me what i ordered!

Faith V.S Destiny

Google
5 stars all around hands down best sandwiches best combos of meats lots of other items set out to purchase I ended up trying the pesto sauce recommended for pasta made at home absolutely loved it as well as the tiramisu been to both locations west and south in Beverly must try 🤗

Jim Gossen

Google
Delicious Italian sub with great bread. The sub was dressed perfectly wit both mild and hot giardiniera peppers. Definitely don’t miss this Italian market. Has great Italian sausage. Friendly service.

Lavanya V

Google
If you are an Indian who came here because subway is closed, then try the hot meatball sandwich. It absolutely slaps..the meatball melts in the mouth and the bread is fresh and buttery. Too good.

Mark D.

Yelp
I consider myself to be a pretty good cook. While I do not make a huge variety of things, some of things I make I get rave reviews. One of the things that I make is meatballs with sauce. Prior to tonight, I thought I made some pretty good meatballs. Now I'm not so sure. Tonight, I had the best meatball sub I've ever had. And more importantly, it may have been in the top five meals I've ever had in my life. This meal tonight makes me think I need to go back and really rethink how I cook.
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Ringo 7.

Yelp
I came here today for the first time since I retired. I ordered the 8" Blockbuster. With a fountain drink and chips it cost me $16.00 Now I normally get my subs on Taylor Street. I get an 8" Italian with chips and a can of coke and it costs me a shade under $10.00 What would you do?
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George T.

Yelp
Excellent sandwiches and service, fresh ingredients everything was very tasty, even bought some of their home made giardiniera, it was fantastic
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Serg D.

Yelp
"Welcome to your new addiction," said the woman behind the counter. And she was absolutely right! I has the 6inch blockbuster with hot giardinara - delicious cuts, fresh ingredients, perfectly textured bread, a yummy worth-the-messiness treat! The spot is unassuming (quiet music, open space, no fuss tables and chairs) and easy to miss, but paired with speedy, very kind service make this spot a true hidden gem. I'm glad I asked for a punchcard on my way out - I'll be coming back!

Ashley W.

Yelp
I hadn't been to Fontano's in years. I used to go to the one on 95th. I don't think I knew this one existed until my cousin bought me here a couple of weeks ago. It was set up like a little convenience store/ deli but with a lot less stuff.I ordered a 12" wise guy. It was ok but for a $20 sandwich it just wasn't worth it. The meat to bread to topping ratio just wasn't adding up. I feel like it was a 6" sandwich spread across a 12". I will not be returning.
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Angelina I.

Yelp
Service was good and sandwich was great!! There's a small Italian market area when you first walk in and the food counter is in the back. They have lots of options, but are known for the Italian subs which did not disappoint. This place was great.
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Kristy P.

Yelp
My favorite Italian sub spot! I order from here quite often and I typically can't decide between the meatball sandwich (with provolone and hot peppers) or a cold sub so I get BOTH! Lol For cold subs I either get the Wise Guy, Caputo, or I build my own Turkey sub. I swear it's the fresh Italian bread that makes it SO good.
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Rudra B.

Yelp
I haven't been in a long time so I'm excited to check it out today while I'm back near UIC. But it was outstanding when I was 18yo!
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Jane P.

Yelp
These guys clearly know what they're doing. We got the Blockbuster and it had several things on it that I usually don't even like and it was really good because it was done right. You're not going to be able to feed yourself this well this cheap anywhere else.
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Brian M.

Yelp
Used to be a fan of this place when Mary, the mom and dad and the fat brother ran the place. It used to be an awesome sandwich shop with great customer service Recently, I ordered a bunch of sandwiches and they got the order wrong. Plus, I wasn't happy with the sandwiches. The next day, I placed the same order at Bari. No comparison. The food and sandwiches from Bari were far superior, and the bill was 20% less. Hope Fontano's figures it out before it's too late.
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Sabrina R.

Yelp
I found Fontano Subs while training nearby, and I am SO glad I did! I had the 6 inch Caputo with Salami, Mortadella, Pepperoni, and cheese. All of their sandwiches come with mayo, lettuce, and tomato. For no extra charge you can add oil & vinegar, onion, giardiniera, olives, pickles, mustard, and cucumber, and let me tell you I added EVERYTHING! They took my order with a smile, and delivered a 6 inch sandwich that legit felt like it was 3 lbs. My first thought was to take it back to my training meeting, but when I took a look in the bag I could see the oil starting to permeate the paper, and decided to eat it in the car & catch up on my shows. Let me say, I'm so glad I did! (They do have a small dining area) When I first unwrapped I wanted to take a pic, but the sandwich looked messy, and with all the toppings you couldn't see the meat, so I thought let me take a few bites and give this sandwich pic some justice. Nope! Once you start eating, you just have to commit. I slammed this masterpiece in 10 minutes, and definitely had a combo of mustard, oil, and olives running down my arm when I was finished. Thankfully the good people at Fontano Subs included extra napkins, because, baby, I needed each and every one. Needless to say, no pic was taken of my Caputo. All the ingredients were fresh and tasty, and plentiful to say the least. The bread held up well under the weight of all that tastiness. Was it pretty to eat? No. Was it absolutely delicious, and I will definitely be back to try some of their other sandwich options? YES! Street parking only, and it can be hard to find because this seems like a popular lunch time destination. If you're patient you can wait for someone to pull out, then throw your blinkers on. The place was busy, but I was still in & out in 15 minutes. Service was great, and they take cash and card.
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Jason H.

Yelp
I used to go to the Naperville location but it closed. Luckily the brother runs the original Chicago location so I always will have fresh delicious sandwiches. I HIGHLY recommend the pot roast sandwich but it's only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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David M.

Yelp
Went here for the first time yesterday. The crazy part is I went to UIC 20 years ago but never even tried this place. Some websites say it's one of the best subs in the city. I tried the turkey sub with mild giardenarra, and the combo. The turkey and the bread were really good. The bread was nice and soft. The giardenarra can be either mild or hot. I chose mild, the mild had NO heat.( I would definitely recommend trying the hot.) I thought it would have a little. Nonetheless it was a tasty solid sandwich. The combo was just ok I got it with mozzarella cheese. The sausage was somewhat tasty, but the beef was just ok. I would come here again if I'm in the area but I wouldn't make a special trip.

Bob B.

Yelp
That's a really skinny combo that I picked up today, hardly any meat....., I could of got a better sandwich at Portillo's.

Michael A.

Yelp
Very good. Huge portions. True Italian vibes. Old school shop/store that just sends slapper vibes.
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Samantha F.

Yelp
Such a great old school Italian sub joint! Love this place! They have great giardiniera Great service too!

Lance H.

Yelp
When in Chicago.....a must stop for me is always Fontanos. They are in the little Italy neighborhood.... and since their opening way back in around 1960, they've won numerous awards and accolades... Which, I totally agree with! :-) Since living in Italy, and growing extremely fond of mortadella, I get the big L sub every time... Consisting of mortadella salami-both cotta and Genoa and provolone cheese. Then I tell them to load it up with the works... Lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, etc.... Simply a phenomenal sub!

Anne C.

Yelp
I was surprised to find they were still open, and had the opportunity to grab a Block Buster before the year ended. They have gotten a lil pricey but I did enjoy it after not having it for so many years.

Rosanne C.

Yelp
I grew up in Little Itay, so Fontano was one of our favorites. I loved it then, and I love it now. You may purchase many imported foods here as well. (from Italy, of course) . Once you get your sandwich, walk across the street to Carms for what the Italians in the neighborhood call Italian Lemonade. I believe others know it as Italian Ice. You will enjoy it. You will be back.
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Jerry M.

Yelp
Today I had my second Italian Beef sub from Fontano. It was tremendous!! I looked at many of the subs that others were eating. They were beautiful. I'm telling you, you gotta go there!
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Bert M.

Yelp
If you're looking for an authentic delicious Italian sandwich this is your spot! Super delicious and moderately price I definitely recommend it
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Gerrit K.

Yelp
Delicious sub sandwiches with nice thick hearty bread made however you want. Wish more hot sandwich places used bread as good as theirs. Great neighborhood spot for those who don't need to find a place to park as most local parking is by permit only.

Myrna S.

Yelp
After hearing great things of this place, I was excited to look at their menu and try their lemon chicken soup. I ordered via Uber eats only to be disappointed that the soup of the day that is mentioned, was totally different. After calling about their soup, they mentioned that they change the soup daily however online, that is not mentioned. Their solution was to contact Uber eats. Never again will I come here!!
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Catherine W.

Yelp
I'd ordered from this establishment before and had no problems. However today I order from them a meatball sub the bread is unbelievably hard and I can't eat it and I asked for cheese and I can't see any on my sandwich. So I call the shop, and they are extremely nonchalant about it and couldn't care less that they gave me a subpar product. I'm never wasting my money on this place again!
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Anthony G.

Yelp
Food is good but the customer service needs improvement. I called in to place an order, verified if they still had bread left and was told my order would be ready in 15 mins. I got there and there was no order and there was no more bread. I am totally devastated and wasted time, energy, and gas. I was told to get out by the manager. I wasn't offered any solutions or explanation to the matter. The manager took my frustration as disrespect and that's not good business to me.

Laverne D.

Yelp
Great sub sandwiches! Friendly staff, a variety of options and the price are very reasonable.
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Max M.

Yelp
Amazing sandwiches, even better oatmeal cookies. Great fast services, amazing food.
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William M.

Yelp
I'm pretty upset that when I went to college in the early 2000s, and HS not too far away, I've never went to this place. I guess it was a combo of being super broke and the fact they closed at 6 (I worked midnights so I'd be sleeping during the day). 20 years later, met a friend at this place and I'll be damned if this isn't one of the best sandwich places I've ever been to. Heads up it's all Zone 5 Permit around there, but it's not uncommon to see people quickly come in and out. They make their sandwiches quick.
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Passhon J.

Yelp
The best sandwich I've had in my entire life. I never knew that a sandwich could be so good. Everything was fresh and flavorful. I never want to eat a chain sub shop ever in life.
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Johnfavour N.

Yelp
Great Italian subs. Got the 8" Wise guy. The Hot giardiniera's got a kick. Added oil and vinegar, mustard, cucumbers. I appreciate the small details -- they folded the paper wrapping into the sandwich so the whole sandwich didn't soggy with vinegar by the time I brought it home. The sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients and quick service. There's a small grocery section too if you want to buy giardiniera to go. If you order through GrubHub/Yelp the sandwich will usually be ready in about 15 mins, even though the app will say 30-45 mins for pickup.
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Ayush V.

Yelp
Best sub in the city, they bring it out quickly as well. Everyone that works there is nice and genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves. The subs are greasy in the best way possible, the atmosphere feels like a very classic deli. Plus they offer a student discount

Thomas T.

Yelp
Me and my dad went there today just to try it out and the meatball sandwich was the best that my dad has ever had as soon as I walked in I felt like family. The owner gave me a ride back home love the place.
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Austin G.

Yelp
A historic restaurant once named "Best sandwich shop in America" requires a visit even if the title was from Zagat in 2012. Fontano is quite the experience and the constant flow of locals ordering subs proves Fontano still has it. Fontano Subs is a deli in Little Italy and dates back to the 1960s. The deli is in the way way back with drinks, dessert, and munchies in the front of the store. They keep it simple and the handful of staff behind the deli counter keep the flow going. Know your order before walking up. I recommend their Blockbuster full of different deli meat. The deli person will walk you through the rest. They start at 6 inches and go up to 3 feet. 12 inches was perfect for me. The cashier takes credit and there is plenty of tables to enjoy your sandwich. The food itself is good. Best in the USA? I've had better, but it's still good!
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Lisa E.

Yelp
Hands down my favorite italian sub in the city!! Been a loyal customer for about 18 years!!

M. B.

Yelp
Outstanding! Slammin! Delicious! You gotta get their subs. The Turkey one is beautiful. Puts Subway to shame.

Robert P.

Yelp
The BEST sandwiches in the city. I started going there in the 70's and the quality of their sandwiches has only gotten better. It's a good idea to order ahead because the line can get quite long.
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William S.

Yelp
This place is great! Atmosphere is chill and cool but the staff is also really friendly. They know what they're doing and what they're talking about, and you can tell making the customers happy is their main priority. Food is pretty awesome, some italian classics and some twists, and for their prices it's 100% worth it..
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Wells L.

Yelp
TL:DR - Solid subs. Similar to Jimmy John's style, but larger in size. They are open and are practicing safety measures to limit covid-19 spread. If you get oil, make sure you eat it quickly, otherwise you'll end up with soggy bread. As of 06/19/2020, this place is open for take out. They do have a limit as to how many people are in the store, and everyone coming in needs a mask. If you don't have a mask or the store is at capacity, there is a window that you can order at. But the menu inside is a bit hard to read. It's very large, and placed up high BEHIND the heating/cooling vent, so you can't see all of it until you're right at the counter, which is hard considering you have to stand 6 ft apart. But I ordered an 8 in blockbuster sandwich. I mistakenly ordered a 8 in based on the fact that a subway 6in is NOT filling at all, but an 8 inch here is a lot of food, primarily because the bread is a little larger and they put in WAY more filling inside the bread. It's much closer to a Jimmy John's style sub, but on a much larger scale. I did not realize that you could create your own sandwich, which I would probably get next time. The blockbuster was filled to the brim and got a bit hard to eat when you got to the end of the sandwich. If you get oil, you should eat the sandwich as quick as possible, because they put it on last, it bleeds through the sandwich wrap quickly and can get the bread soggy if you wait too long. Outside of that, it is a solid spot. Just a few nit picks prevent it from a 5 star rating.
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Peter K.

Yelp
Had The Godfather and meatball sub. Really good, could taste the care and freshness in the ingredients. Godfather was really messy, it's meant to be immediately consumed. My partner who is picky, inhaled it. Nice kids working the counters. Parking sucks though, had to eat while looking out to make sure that I didn't get towed.

Patrick B.

Yelp
One of the best sandwich places in Chicago. When I went to UIC 10 years ago I always stopped in for a sub. And now whenever I come to the city I always catch myself coming here.
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Johnny F.

Yelp
You're looking at a luxury sandwich. No, not by 24 karat gold sprinkled on top. No, not by truffles and caviar. Just pure and perfect execution on a deli sandwich. It is defined by its freshness and quality as well as its bold flavors. I had no idea sandwiches could be of this caliber. Topped off with friendly staff who help you along the way. These reviews really bare it all so it would just be insane to be redundant. Just go here and get yourself a sandwich! There's no way you'll regret it.
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Joseph E.

Yelp
Greatest deli sandwich of my life! At least one of them. It is a local market deli counter near the university where the food is incredibly delicious and the price is absolutely fair for the quality and quantity. I drove a few miles off the interstate because the reviews here were great and I just wanted a sandwich. It was worth the trip, and I encourage anyone reading this to venture over to this neighborhood. Check out the pics! Thin sliced meats of exquisite flavor stacked on freshly baked bread. Definitely get the peppers. I personally ordered it with pretty much all the fixings. The sandwiches are so good I almost wish I lived nearby so I could pig out here twice a week. I am telling all my family and friends, and I hope everyone reading this review will give them a shot.
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Ari W.

Yelp
I consider myself an Italian sub connoisseur. I've had the Bari's, the JP Graziano's of the world, and everything in between. While all are great.. The blockbuster is hands down the greatest sub in the history of mankind.
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Edwin V.

Yelp
SOLID SANDWICH SPOT I've been walking past Fontano Subs on my way to Taylor street for quite a while now. I wanted to have something filling, tasty, and fast, and I've heard nothing but good things about Fontano's, so I decided to try it out. I had the blockbuster 8-inch with how it's made (mayo, lettuce, tomato, provolone, capicola, salami, oil, vinegar, and hot peppers) and I also had some jalapeño chips. Sandwich was great and so were the chips. Plus, this is so old school and chill spot, it makes me appreciate the little Italy vibe of the university village area. I also love the little grocery section where you can buy pasta, sauces, etc, and the people were laid back, hardworking, and we're great help when deciding what sandwich I wanted. Fontano Subs is doing it right, I'll be coming back soon.
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Jason X.

Yelp
I'm relatively new to town, but it's easy to see why Fontano's consistently ranks among the best subs in Chicago. So deliciously satisfying, good service, and prices that won't sour your tastebuds. I admit I wasn't able to really tell the difference between the Blockbuster and the Wise Guy (their two most popular) outside of the cheese, but both were great - I liked them with everything plus oil and mild peppers. Next up: the meatball.
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Barbara K.

Yelp
The best of the best multigenerational family recipes of fresh and constant quality sandwiches. Cannot go wrong with any menu choice.
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Brule L.

Yelp
Finally got here after photographing the sign in 2011. We chatted up Gilda Fontano, who told us to come back when we need lunch. Sadly, Gilda passed away three years ago. My sub was as good as any, including Bari, my go-to place.
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Darnail L.

Yelp
12-10-2021 I ordered 2 subs. One hot one cold along with other items for delivery to the South Loop by Grub HUB. ONLY ONE SUB WAS DELIVERED. Called Fontano they said my hot sandwich was left on the steam table. Thus, I cannot blame the delivery person. I love their sandwiches so hopefully this will never happen again. Italian Sausage Hot Sandwich

Isabel C.

Yelp
Been going here since highschool family owned business ..best chicken sub of my life till this day ...I just read the "bad reviews" and people don't get that this is a local place it's not "fine dinning" people need to get over themselves ..it's a sandwich shop Karen ...definitely recommend tho 10/10
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Grace G.

Yelp
I got here one minute before closing last night. As soon as I walked in, I realized what was happening (I thought they were open til later). I apologized and said I could come back. All 3 employees were unbelievably kind to me and told me stay. They assured me it was no issue, took my order, made our food with smiles on their faces, and never made me feel uncomfortable. I've been coming to Fontanos for many years. So has my uncle. Last night it was the last thing he wanted before going in for surgery today. Their employees didn't know that. They didn't know how much we would appreciate any of this. They made us our favorite subs, despite it being closing time, never made me feel like an inconvenience, and were so incredibly kind and welcoming. I have always been a huge fan of this place, their food, and their employees, but last night really touched me. This is how you keep life long customers. You are all wonderful. Thank you so much.